How We Act Next Our strategic plan, the pandemic, racial justice, and where we go from here. Achieve financial, institutional, and environmental sustainability.
Diversify and expand the Gustavus community.
Deliver a distinctive and integrated liberal arts education.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | FALL 2020
THIS IS THE GUSTAVUS ACTS STRATEGIC PLAN 2.0. During the past five years we saw major successes, fueled by support from you—our alumni, family, and friends. We then prioritized our next targets, and put our community to work seeking innovative strategies to reach them. Then, the pandemic. Then, the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. How quickly the world changed. And how quickly this plan flexed to accommodate that change, just as we intended when we, the Gustavus community, built this strategic plan. Now, we lean into year five. It will be a historic year for Gustavus and for the world. This is the midpoint. This is the world we are living in. This is how we act next.
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HERE’S WHERE WE’VE BEEN SO FAR.
a Gustavus education and a major goal of the strategic plan
an unprecedented $75 million to fuel Gustavus Acts
June 2016 Gustavus Board of Trustees finalizes the Gustavus Acts Strategic Plan; it rolls out shortly after
Feb. 2017 Teams for each of the three Gustavus Acts goals assemble and share plans with Gustavus Board of Trustees
Feb. 2018 Nobel Hall of Science Expansion and Renovation project, the College’s largest facilities undertaking ever and a keystone project of Gustavus Acts, breaks ground
Nov. 2016 President Bergman and her husband, Tom, announce their $4 million gift to the College, among the first multi-million gifts to fuel Gustavus Acts Jan. 2017 Trustee and Heritage Scholarship programs launch, a cornerstone of access to
April 2017 Faculty vote on a new general education curriculum Nov. 2017 An anonymous $25 million grant creates the Center for Career Development Jan. 2018 In just 18 months, the College raises
May 2018 Gustavus named a U.S. Dept. of Ed Green Ribbon School for Environmental Sustainability January 2019 A Cabinet-level position for Mission, Strategy, and Innovation is created
April 2019 The new general education curriculum, now named the Challenge Curriculum, is approved for implementation in 2020-2021 Sept. 2019 The College announces its largest fundraising campaign ever, Show the World, to further fuel the strategic plan (see progress, page 26) Nov. 2019– Jan. 2020 Open sessions gather input on priorities from the Gustavus community for the next three years of Gustavus Acts
Feb. 2020 Funding is underway for the expansion of Lund Center, another keystone project March 2020 Global pandemic. In response, the College switches to remote learning and working, adding additional technology strategies to Gustavus Acts April 2020 Gustavus Acts 2.0 priorities established, cross-community teams reassembled and re-charged May–June 2020 George Floyd’s death and worldwide outcry. The College
announces anti-racism actions, adding additional strategies to Gustavus Acts Aug. 2020 Faculty and staff move into the new Nobel Hall of Science, and prepare for the 2020-2021 academic year Aug.–Sept. 2020 The College welcomes students— including a large firstyear class—to live and learn through on-campus, hybrid, and online modules; with room for flexibility in the event of swift, needed change Onward…
